Perfumery is one of the sectors that is most open to innovation. The nature of this business, characterised by a frenetic pace of launches, creativity and strict safety regulations, together with the industry’s shift towards sustainability, act as drivers for progress that result in the creation of innovative fragrances.
Àuria Perfumes is committed to the creation of innovative fragrances
Aida Mangut and Marta Pelfort, members of the laboratory and quality team at Àuria Perfumes, give their vision of where the company is heading with its innovative developments.
1.- How important is innovation in a perfume and cosmetics company?
Perfumery and cosmetics have always been characterised by their essentially creative nature, which seeks to differentiate products from other options on the market. Each year sees the launch of new projects with different formulations and design combinations that pose major business challenges.
Competition between organisations is increasingly fierce, which means that innovation has become the key to the survival of any company. Innovating is all about generating ideas and strategies for process and products, and then putting them into practice and ensuring their feasibility.
2.- What direction is innovation taking in the company?
Innovation in technology is a fundamental aspect, based on effectiveness and speed in order to products positive results all along the value chain.
For us, innovation means optimising our productive operations, boosting our results, acquiring greater know-how, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our processes, and also cutting costs. That’s quite a challenge.
The ‘feel good’ trend transmits to consumers sensations of wellbeing, calm and positivity.
3.- How do you channel the ‘feel good’ trend that is currently dominating the beauty and perfumery sectors in your proposals?
The period of social and mental upset the pandemic caused has clearly had a global impact on society, leading to aftereffects everywhere; it created the need to develop products for personal care and wellbeing capable of transmitting sensations of peace, calm, positivity and even happiness to consumers.
The beauty and perfumery sectors have benefited from this, as essences are capable of reviving pleasant memories that we thought we had forgotten. It is for this reason that certain olfactory notes, such as lavender, neroli or jasmine have become popular with consumers, as well as other notes that evoke nature.
At Àuria Perfumes, this ‘feel good’ trend is reflected in the top and middle notes of the selected ingredients during the development of the essences. It is also present in the close connections forged with perfumers during the course of the products; we work shoulder-to-shoulder with them to offer consumers products on a par with their expectations, generating those highly appreciated and much longed-for sensations of wellbeing.
4.- To what extent will AI change the way fragrances are created?
The possibility of using artificial intelligence systems in fragrance design has a number of advantages for the creation process. On the one hand, it is possible to optimise the time required to present blends of raw materials that generate a positive synergy and produce excellent results; at the same time it may produce combinations that be subjectively ruled out.
AI also allows other factors to be taken into consideration, such as the market segment the product targets and their characteristics (skin type, age, pathologies, etc.), the environmental impact of the proposed essence/blend or toxicological data. The result will be a product that meets a number of highly specific (or even personalised) characteristics, obtained in a significantly shorter period of time and with reduced costs.
Innovation in packaging is focused on sustainable solutions, that are easy to recycle and can also be reused.
5.- In terms of packaging, what are the current trends in design and material innovation?
Current market trends are clearly leaning towards more sustainable designs (biodegradable, recycled and recyclable materials, etc.).
The refill format is becoming increasingly popular (stand-up pouches, refillable bottles, self-filling points and even capsules), as it offers consumers the opportunity to extend packaging life.
Another trend is the creation of packaging whose components are easy to separate, allowing for fast and easy handling when consumers wish to recycle all the materials it is made of (either with pre-cut labels or eliminating the die-cutting in favour of threaded spraying systems).
6.- What steps are you taking in preparation for the entry into force of EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) at the end of 2023?
We are already used to working with environmental management systems: since 2003, we have held ISO 14000 standards certification and complied with European Commission EMAS Regulations since 2013. These regulations require us to remain up-to-date with the legal requirements that affect our activity. Our experience in assessment tools for environmental aspects and lifecycle analysis will stand us in good stead for this new challenge.
The European Green Deal is set to drive innovation in perfumery, as it will result in new, more sustainable formulas.
7.- What consequences could this Green Deal have on fragrance and cosmetic formulations?
The European Green Deal will result in an ecological transition towards “climate neutrality”, which in turn will lead to the need for new decisions regarding raw material supplies and a number of issues surrounding packaging. For instance, it will be necessary to opt for more cleanly sourced materials, obtained from recycling or upcycling and reprocessing procedures. The design of the final product will also be affected, due to the choice of refillable formats or formulas with a low water content (solid cosmetics), thereby minimising the consumption of plastic and other essential raw materials.
This Green Deal may also give rise to innovation in new perfumery and/or cosmetic products, as companies will be required to reconsider each phase of the creation process of a particular product, as well as the manufacturing and packaging stages, thereby optimising the resources used, reducing the energy consumed at the plants and also cutting the amount of waste generated.
8.- Innovation in a perfume company that operates a social model is also about people. How are you approaching the question of innovation in managing the team that works at Àuria Perfumes?
In our opinion, we observed that work routines tend to stunt people’s talent, regardless of their functions.
Innovative teams are those whose expertise and knowledge of the processes can clearly drive improvements. It is for this reason that Àuria Perfumes has a multidisciplinary group of people in order to analyse the management of the company’s day-to-day in productive terms and based on the notion of transformation. We hold dynamic sessions where everyone’s opinion is taken into consideration in order to detect areas for improvement and the best solutions, which are then included in an action plan.
People play a vital role in a company that is eager to innovate and introduce ongoing improvements. Diversity is a key value in any team, enriching it and bringing together knowledge and skills. This approach, based on the value of diversity, makes anything possible. Each voice contributes to our project.
If you are a brand or distributor interested in launching an innovative range of fragrances with a sustainable approach, we are the ally you need to ensure the success of your project. Contact us.
